Mack Ade – AM Report – 8-12-13 – Noah Syndergaard, Andrew Church, Gavin Cecchini, Danny Muno, Matt den Dekker, Alex Rios

 

P Zack Dotson has been activated and sent to Kingsport.

 

The demotion of P Jeremy Hefner comes at a time that this team is beginning to become much more relevant. Everything positive around this team lately starts with how the first six innings are being played.  It's time to play who is going to matter in 2014 and beyond and, frankly, Hefner isn't. Toss this up to the return of Jenrry Mejia.

 

Noah Syndergaard continued to dominate at the AA level in a way that neither Matt Harvey or Zack Wheeler ever did. The Mets have begun to cut back his innings and Saturday night he was limited to only 56 over five innings. 41 of them were strikes. Only two produced hits and no one crossed the plate. His AA-ERA is a minuscule 1.76 and it’s become quite obvious that the Mets now have three untradeable rotation pitchers (ironically, Wheeler was sitting at 96, including his last pitch, the same night Thor thought he tossed his sixth B-Mets win). Things are going to get an awful lot easier rooting for this team very soon and it gets even more exciting if Jenrry Mejia keeps throwing the way he has so far since recovering.

 

The Mets might want to consider shutting down 2013 2^nd round draft pick, SP Andrew Church. He continues to struggle with the GCL Mets (this time giving up 7-R in 5.1-IP on Saturday. Church’s seasonal ERA is 6.04 and rising, after seven games, four starts. We’re also talking only 13 strikeouts in 22.1 innings pitched. He’s 18-years old and has a long way to go and, right now, it just isn’t working.

 

One of our 19-year olds, SS Gavin Cecchini, is beginning to show some of the reasons he was picked by the Mets as the number one pick in the 2012 draft. He actually got off to a good start this season, hitting .292 in June for Brooklyn; however, an ankle injury cost him most of July. When he did play then, he was highly ineffective (2-26, .077), but he returned to the starting lineup on July 26^th. He’s been on fire in August (.395) and had two more hits on Saturday night. A lot of us have been very critical of this pick (especially me), but after watching the rebirth of Juan Lagares and Wilmer Flores having eight RBIs in his first five major league games, maybe we need to give some of these kids a longer string.

 

Steve Randel on PEDs -

The fact that many of the accused are Dominicans makes perfect sense. In the D.R., only two things are important: baseball and the Catholic Church. Kids dream of playing “pelota” in America when they’re still wearing diapers. Before their teen years, serious youngsters and their families are already looking for a “buscon,” the fastest-rising profession on the island. These guys act as an adviser, personal trainer and a salesman of sorts, assuring everyone that he is well-connected. The ultimate goal for these prospects is to play in the Dominican Summer League by their 16th birthday, where they’ll get exposure and be eligible to sign a big-league contract. The competition is fierce, and also includes the best talent from Venezuela, Colombia and Central America. For scouts, it’s one-stop shopping. Looking for an edge, this is when many of these kids often start experimenting with creams and lozenges that produce muscle growth and testosterone, which are often supplied by the “buscon” for an extra charge.  http://throughthefencebaseball.com/latinos-and-ped-scandal/34149#5p9DG5K8lL4siuX0.99

 

 

MARK EX,MLB on  DANNY MUNO -

WHAT THIS KID IS DOING IS INSANE, HE'A LEAD OFF MAN WITH 68 RBI HE'S SECOND IN THE LEAGUE IN WALKS AND SINCE HE BECAME THE LEAD OFF MAN THIS TEAM IS 56 AND 28 AND SINCE JUNE 1ST HE'S HITTING 360.........PUT HIM ON THE 40 MAN NOW WE CAN'T AFFORD TO LOSE THIS GUY....THIS KID IS OLD SCHOOL HE GETS DIRTY AND IS A TOTAL BASEBALL RAT.  BEEN THERE

Mack – Danny Muno fans have been rare here lately. The biggest problem is his increasingly decrease in batting average over each level (2011 – Brooklyn - .355… 2012 – St. Lucie - .280… 2013 – B-Mets - .259. Yes, he has 78-BB, but the OBP is only eight points above the year prior (.395 vs. 3.87). Most importantly, there really is nowhere for him to go until the Mets figure out the Daniel Murphy, Wilmer Flores, and Ike Davis mess. As long as Davis hits, the only future for Flores is second, which will completely block Muno. My guess is Brandon Hicks will be released in the off-season and Muno will move up to Vegas.

,

Derek Showerman asked -

Does Matt Den Dekker have anything else to prove in the minors?

                Mack – Well, I believe so.

First, this is a game of attrition. The Mets have nine minor league teams with at least four outfielders each, all trying to become one of the three starters in Queens.

Den Dekker had centerfield in his back pocket after shining during spring training last March, and was sent back to have one more year in the minors to work on his K/AB ratio (that continues to be a problem). Injuries (broken wrist) then landed him on the disabled list and opened up an opportunity for Juan Lagares to play centerfield this year for the Mets. We’ve all enjoyed Lagares’ respectful hitting, but it’s his defense in the outfield that has been the difference.

A lot of outfielders had had their chance recently (Lucas Duda, Kirk Nieuwenhuis), but, for now, Eric Young Jr., Lagares, and Marlon Byrd will play every day for the remainder of this season, until it become irrelevant.  After that, I see Cesar Puello being added to the mix around July 2014 and probably at least one outsider bought or traded for in the off-season.

Wrist injuries take a while to come back from and den Dekker’s 2013 season (168-AB, 3-HR, 27-RBI, .274) are not the kind of numbers that get you to Queens, especially after hitting 17 home runs in both the 2011 and 2012 season. Lagares earned his trip east with a .346 Las Vegas batting average this year.

IMO, at best, den Dekker now has a 2015 ETA.

 

Texas traded Leury Garcia to CWS for OF Alex Rios. Garcia was not listed as one of the top 20 prospects for Texas. He had an excellent season in 2012 for AA-Frisco (377-AB, .292-BA, 31-SB) and did have 52 at-bats for the parent club this season (.192). This would be like trading either Ruben Tejada or Justin Turner for Rios, which tells me only one thing… Sandy Alderson is not looking for these kind of shot term solutions for a team that’s obviously going nowhere this season. This looks like a great deal for Texas and seems to seal the fate of Nelson Cruz going to another team next year. He will play 2014 as a 33-year old and his 27/76 output would make quite the addition to any team’s roster.

Stuff – Vincente Lupo, Danny Muno, Jack Leathersich, Lance McCullers Jr., John Henry

Vincente Lupo

The Mets have an actual, positively genuine outfield prospect. The problem he’s at least four years away. Vincente Lupo is an 18-year old hitting machine that is ranked in just about every top five offensive categories anyone has come up with. We all know far too little about these kids playing way down south and I give the Mets a lot of credit not rushing him; however, I do expect to see him play with Savannah next year for a full season. He’s second in the league in homers (nobody hits home runs down there) and his stat line Tuesday was: .349/.492/.629/1.121. Really? 

Danny Muno

Frankly, I’m very impressed here. I was never that excited about his big numbers in Brooklyn (2011 - .355) because of the age he played there. Then came the stupid 50-game suspension and I thought we had seen the last of this guy. Well, we haven’t. He’s still playing SS, hit his 6^th home run of the season and going into Tuesday’s game with a stat line of: .274/.369/.406/.775. I especially love the 35-BB in 234-official at bats and only 39-K. For the hell of it, he produced four hits tonight while I was writing this (up to .286).

I can’t see Muno having any future with the Mets at short, though there is no one in his way next spring there or at second base in AA. I’m adding Muno to my ‘blue’ list and admitting I had this kid wrong.  

Jack Leathersich

We got a live one in St. Lucie. 5-11, 205, 22-year old Jack Leathersich has now thrown… get ready… 106 strikeouts in 66.1 innings. ‘Leather’ totally dominated Savannah in the spring 0.75, 24.0-IP, 37-K, but the strikeout machine is continuing at the A+ level, with an additional 64-K in 40.1-IP. I’ve met Jack and seen him pitch and he’s quite the bully on the mound. He comes off much older and I can’t see him having any trouble getting to Queens before the 2013 season ends. Once again… 106 strikeouts in 66.1 innings. This is very special folks and Jack is definitely a member of the ‘red’ list.

Lance McCullers Jr.

I saw this on a Houston blog this morning:

RHP Lance McCullers - At 18, supplemental first round pick McCullers is the youngest of the group and he has yet to win his first professional game, but with a 1.42 ERA and a 1.053 WHIP, it's only a matter of time. After four starts with the GCL team, McCullers was promoted to Greeneville where he's made two additional starts. Batters are hitting only .186 against him.

(The Mets drafted BOTH Cecchini and Plawecki with McCullers still available)

The Mets drafted BOTH SS Gavin Cecchini and C Kevin Plawecki with McCullers still on the board. By the way, McCulllers high school ERA in his senior year: 0.18. Cecchini is ready impressing no one in Kingsport and, while Plawecki is showing some promise, one has to wonder how a sure fire pick like this was passed over.

John Henry

I worked for a guy like Boston Red Sox owner John Henry. The holder of the major note for two Savannah radio stations ‘hired’ me to turnaround a situation in which the broadcast-minority owner, had run the stations into the ground under an incompetent General Manager. I had to fly to Boston and meet with both of them and the broadcast dude, Bill McCormick, wanted nothing to do with me; however, it wasn’t his call. In return, McCormick made me address to the staff on the first day at the radio stations my dependency problems, even though I had been sober for 16 years. Nice way to start a job (note: turned stations around in 2.5 years, produced $440K PCF, and sold stations to Dick Verne (ex-President of NBC who hired Howard Stern) and I remained for three more years as minority partner). Bobby V should tell these guys to go fuck themselves at the end of the year and go replace Fareed Zakaria on CNN.

Mets: Danny Muno, Terry Collins, Ruben Tejada, Johan Santana

2-10-12 - http://seedlingstostars.com/2012/02/10/s2s-2012-team-prospect-lists-new-york-mets/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter   - #4.) Danny Muno, SS. This is the sort of profile I love–middle-of-the-diamond player, plus approach, switch-hitter with punch. An 8th-round pick in 2011, Muno promptly hit .355/.466/.514 in the NYPL. He was 22, so it might be best for him to skip straight to High-A this year, but he has the potential to be a starting middle infielder or excellent utility player. Guys who can play the middle infield spots while maintaining good on-base skills and ripping some doubles don’t grow on trees. Grade: B-

He arrived a few years too late, truth be told. Terry Collins would have been the perfect manager to guide the Contender Mets of a few years back, the 2006-08 heartbreak kids who always found a way to spill tomato sauce all over the final chapters of their stories and their seasons. We know that now, of course, because we saw the work he did with last year’s Mets, we saw the patience he has discovered late in the game, the way he relates not only to kids fighting every day for their livelihoods but to stars, too. We saw how he kept the team together after that 5-13 start, and when the annual injury purge struck, how they were .500 as late as Aug. 10 and only one game under on Sept. 7. : http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/mets/the_right_manager_for_the_wrong_ErCS8ZaT2v0OO53HPCxEjI#ixzz1n789fAjH

Ruben Tejada isn’t due in camp until Saturday, but manager Terry Collins already has a motivational speech waiting for the Mets’ new starting shortstop. “Jose Reyes is a great player, we’re going to miss him,” Collins said yesterday. “But this young man who is going to play shortstop, he’s an outstanding talent, and he’s going to make some boo-boos along the way, but with his makeup he’s got a chance to move real fast to be a special player. I’m going to tell him that the first day. “Therefore, you’ve got to work harder than everyone else. Don’t think for one minute you can take this for granted because you’re the guy now. If you’re the guy, you have to work harder than everybody else.”  http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/mets/collins_tejada_can_be_special_YrzP7siMUPfxUXErwWwHTM#ixzz1n78v0ItG

Johan Santana expected to have a better idea later in spring training after seeing how his shoulder responded after facing major league competition. “Opening Day’s always good,” he said. “But again, I’m approaching everything one day at a time. Going through everything last year, one day you feel good and another you don’t feel good, it’s like a roller coaster.”  http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/02/22/mets-johan-santana-wont-make-any-guarantees-for-opening-day/

Mets: Phillip Evans, Lucas May, Andre Torres, Danny Muno

1-30-12 - http://www.amazinavenue.com/2012/1/30/2757346/2012-amazin-avenue-top-50-mets-prospects-21-30  SS Phillip Evans - Speaking of draft steals, the Mets plucked this top round talent in the 15th round due to signablilty concerns based on a perceived strong commitment to SDSU -- ultimately inking him for $600k. The 19-yr old Cali kid is considered very advanced/polished for a high school product. He already shows a good idea of the strike zone while featuring very quick hands and a nice compact swing from the right side. In addition, his excellent athleticism and very strong arm give him every chance to stick at short long-term and though he's not quite a burner, he has the kind of quickness to take 15-20 bags a year. He's also been lauded for his high character and work ethic.  Now some feel that as he adds bulk to his already study frame (185lbs) he'll be forced to move to second base. His power has also come into question as he's listed at just 5'10" and for anyone who got to see him in his brief time with Brooklyn he looks even smaller in person. However, he's got some nice natural loft to his swing and he absolutely knows how to pull a ball. I've got to say that so much about Evans screams out Dustin Pedroia to me: Smallish infielder out of Cali, good strength/athleticism, excellent pull-side power, good quickness, great makeup. And while it's hard to project anyone to an MVP-level, I could definitely see Evans ceiling as a 20/20-type, with the requisite disclaimer about any and all high school players currently being worlds away from that ceiling.

• Dec 13: C Lucas May - The 27-yr old May is another righty-hitting backstop who will likely be attempting to dethrone Mike Nickeas as the primary backup this spring. However, after bottoming out with a .238 average in Triple-A in 2011, he's likely to begin in that same role in Buffalo. May was never much of a prospect however he has shown some good pop for a catcher, once knocking 25 homers in a season and thrice surpassing 15. Like Rottino he has just 39 major league pa's, batting .189 in that time. http://www.amazinavenue.com/2012/1/31/2753903/taking-inventory-of-the-mets-minor-league-free-agents

Andres Torres (OF): In 1998, Torres hit .234 with 1 HR and 21 RBI in 48 games with Jamestown in his first professional season. Torres was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 4th round of the 1998 MLB amateur draft out of Miami Dade College (Miami, Florida). Torres has played in 415 career regular season games over seven seasons, as a member of the Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers, and San Francisco Giants. He is currently a member of the New York Mets after being traded by the Giants in December 2011. http://seedlingstostars.com/2012/01/31/3385/

2-1-12 - Muno had a really strong professional debut, smacking around New York-Penn League pitching at a .355/.466/.514 clip at age 22. He’ll head to 2012 as a 23-year old on Opening Day with the clock ticking loudly. Muno played shortstop and third base in college, but the Mets had him play all but two games at shortstop in the New York Penn League. His arm is strong enough for either position, but he’ll need to prove that he has the range to play shortstop everyday as a professional. If he can’t play shortstop every day, he could carve out a career as a versatile backup infielder or perhaps a third baseman. He does not have the power to profile as a classic third baseman.  However, third base is in transition, and 2011 was a down year for the position as MLBers hit just .252/.317/.390 at third, essentially equal to second basemen. http://www.metsminorleagueblog.com/36-ss-danny-muno/

Mets: Sean Kazmar, Danny Muno, Daniel Murphy, Off-Season Grades

 • Jan 10: MI Sean Kazmar - The 27-yr old '04 fifth rounder of the Padres is one of the few players on this list who never really had many expectations. Very early on he proved he wasn't much of a hitter, evident by his .255 career minor league average. However, Kazmar had two things that kept him moving up the ladder: He had decent plate discipline and he was a good fielder between short and second. Once again, he had 39 major league at bats and he batted just .205. Pretty much a pure minor league depth pickup. http://www.amazinavenue.com/2012/1/31/2753903/taking-inventory-of-the-mets-minor-league-free-agents  

1-30-12 - http://www.amazinavenue.com/2012/1/30/2757346/2012-amazin-avenue-top-50-mets-prospects-21-30  SS Danny Muno - To this point, it looks like the Mets got a steal in Muno, their 2011 eighth round selection who signed for just $10,000. The soon-to-be 23-yr old switch-hitter out of Fresno St. would go on to have one of the most impressive debuts of any player drafted in a season for the Cyclones reminiscent of Ceciliani's 2010. Muno would lead the league in average, OBP and doubles while ranking third in SLG. However, like Ceciliani Muno would post an unsustainable .435 BABIP; but his unheard of 16% walk rate will help cushion the blow as he regresses. Though he has a strong arm there are questions if Muno has the lateral quickness to stick at short. Additionally, scouts don't see him developing a ton of power and so some see him more as a utility infielder with good on-base skills, not unlike Royals utility man Chris Getz. He probably sports a little more power/overall hitting ability and while it's not the sexiest comp, for $10k it'd definitely be a win for Sandy and Co.

Daniel Murphy was in Manhattan on Tuesday night to be honored at the Thurman Munson Awards Dinner. He said he was continuing to work on his timing at second base, where he is expected to start spring training. He said that he had been in touch with several of his teammates and that they were all just as eager as he was to start the season. Murphy said he recently sent Ike Davis a text message saying he was hoping to bat in front of him in the order for the additional protection. Murphy said Davis responded with a text that read, “Let’s go dominate.” http://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/31/mets-murphy-looks-on-the-bright-side/#more-56873

Mets: Considering the financial mess the Mets are in right now, their offseason has to be taken in that light. They’ve added a few spare parts but nothing that will impact the team enough. I don’t understand the idea of giving Frank Francisco two years at $12 million to close, considering their situation. It would have taken a minor miracle to do anything with the bad contracts of Johan Santana and Jason Bay. The one thing I would have explored is the market for David Wright. He’s still in the prime of his career, and a change of scenery would do him well. http://www.throughthefencebaseball.com/offseason-grades-nl-east/16870/

Mets: Bay for Burnett, Danny Muno, Reese Havens, Choo Choo Coleman, Philly Fans on Wilpons

The theory goes like this: the Yankees are looking for a righthanded power bat for a corner outfield spot / DH. Why? Because everyone seems to have forgotten that Andruw Jones was re-signed earlier this winter. Additionally, the Yankees are looking to unload A.J. Burnett, who has been — put lightly — a disappointment. Further, the Yankees suddenly have a surplus of pitching, after signing Hiroki Kuroda and acquiring Michael Pineda. Burnett is excess baggage they are motivated to move for a power bat. From the Mets’ perspective, Bay has also been a disappointment, and he’s an expensive contract to bear for a business going bankrupt. Though they’re not exactly flush with outfielders, the Mets are desperate to rid themselves of any and every multi-year, multi-million dollar contract. The immediate future is looking bleak, and even if Jason Bay returns to his monster form, it’s unlikely to make much difference in the Mets’ fortunes. Additionally, the Mets have very little depth behind their projected 5-man starting rotation — and a few of those projected starters have question marks. Getting another MLB starter is a distinct need, and there are worse options than Burnett — who might benefit from a return to the National League. http://www.metstoday.com/7392/11-12-offseason/should-mets-trade-jason-bay-for-a-j-burnett/

1-20-12 - http://metsmerizedonline.com/2012/01/prospect-pulse-the-2012-st-lucie-mets.html  Danny Muno (SS) - I have been asked if Muno is ready for Advanced-A ball, and I think yes, definitely. He is a very well equipped player who comes from a 4-year, major college program that won the National championship when he was a freshman starting shortstop. He has played off-the-hook so far in his professional career, including smacking NYPL pitching around like a playground bully. I don’t think the difference between the NYPL and the SAL is all that huge, and he will not be challenged by playing in Savannah. St. Lucie will be his landing spot and he should team very nicely with Tovar. In a recent interview with MMO, Muno discussed his drive and motivation: “I plan on being in the big leagues someday in the near future and I need to work on all the little things in baseball everyday, and I particularly need to work on the mental game.”

 1-22-12 - http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/prospects/watch/y2012/#list=rhp -  he was drafted out of the University of South Carolina in 2008, the hope was he’d be a college player who would move quickly. Injuries have been the biggest obstacle, with Havens playing in just 213 games over three-plus seasons. When he has been healthy, he’s been as initially advertised, with a good approach at the plate and a solid all-around bat. He’s also played well at second after being a shortstop in college. If he can stay on the field in 2012, he could be ready for New York in a year.

Fifty years later, out of all of the members of the inaugural 1962 New York Mets team, the details about the life and career of catcher Clarence “Choo Choo” Coleman have remained mysterious, as he disappeared from the public spotlight after leaving baseball.

The 76-year-old Coleman returned to New York for the first time in 45 years for a series of appearances at various memorabilia shows this weekend and Tuesday’s Baseball Assistance Team Dinner at the Marriott Marquis.  http://www.examiner.com/baseball-history-in-new-york/for-choo-choo-coleman-it-s-a-homecoming-long-delayed

For Phillies fans, there exists no greater sense of schadenfreude than taking the utmost delight in the failings of the New York Mets. Nevermind that the club has missed the playoffs for the last five straight seasons despite being consistently over the luxury tax, because now -- in the wake of the team's unfortunate involvement with ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff -- they might not have the necessary cash to continuing over-paying their talent.  http://www.csnphilly.com/blog/phillies-talk/post/NL-East-Mets-prep-lawyers-for-Madoff-hea?blockID=636010&feedID=693

Albert Cordero, Danny Muno, GCL Mets, Jose Reyes, Mike Cameron

12-19-11: - http://www.amazinavenue.com/2011/12/19/2622862/2011-mets-minor-league-season-in-review-savannah-sand-gnats - C Albert Cordero - STOCK UP - 2011 was an excellent season for the long-term value of Cordero in the catching-starved Mets organization. With growing expectations coming into the year, Cordero was slow out of the gates to say the least. However, things changed after he made some adjustments at the plate around the All-Star Break: That pretty much says it all. Oh except for his 24 of 36 baserunners caught stealing (40%). All in all, it was a very strong season for Cordero as he emerged as the top prospect on this Savannah club.

12-7-11: - http://baseballdraftreport.com  - Fresno State SS Danny Muno has good plate discipline, a little bit of speed, and enough defensive chops to hang at any infield spot, though I prefer him at second. He absolutely destroyed New York-Penn League pitching – compared to all Mets minor leaguers, he came in first in both BA and OBP and second in SLG – and likely positioned himself to start next season at St. Lucie. Considering their long-standing devotion to putting together strong teams in Brooklyn, the Mets must have been thrilled to have Muno tear it up for the Cyclones. Expectations have raised some, but if this is Muno’s peak, I’m sure the Mets could live with the return they’ve already enjoyed on their $10,000 investment.

In truth, the Mets eliminating one of the minor league teams isn’t that big of a deal. Coinciding with the prevalent money issues; the upcoming Madoff trial; the $40 million bridge loan the Wilpons recently took from Bank of America; that they’ve yet to pay back the $25 million loan of a year ago from MLB itself; that they let Jose Reyes walk without a fight; and have spent little on Major League players this winter—among many other things—makes the decision to dump the single A team simply look bad. The elimination of one of the Mets nine minor league teams isn’t going to cut enough money out of their spending that it’s going to make a significant difference to organizational finances. As the Times piece says, the Mets were one of three Major League franchises with nine affiliates; the decision, as Jim Duquette says, is more philosophical than cost-cutting. I think it’s more cost-effective to keep or expand the reach into the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and even places like Africa and the Middle-East than it is to have that extra A team with a load of players who—barring a sudden growth spurt; the discovery of a new pitch; a mechanical tweak at the plate or on the mound; or some other unforeseen stroke of luck—have almost zero chance of making it to the big leagues. http://paullebowitz.com.previewyoursite.com/blog/?p=3446&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

The four-time All-Star shortstop, Jose Reyes has recently signed a six-year $102 million contract with the Miami Marlins, stepping into a new team to prove his excellence as an accomplished shortstop. Prior to this multi-million dollar deal with the Miami Marlins, he was part of the New York Mets where he had an impressive .337 average, which also enabled him to win the first battling title. While the deal with the Marlins was a complex affair initially, the fogs of uncertainty dispersed with his agreeing to the six years contract. “It's a perfect situation in Miami,” Reyes said. “We have a lot of talent there and the new stadium, the weather, close to Dominican, a lot of Spanish people there, so I think I'm going to like it and enjoy it as much as I can.” http://blogs.bettor.com/Jose-Reyes-From-New-York-Mets-to-the-Miami-Marlins-a119643

Signed OF-R Mike Cameron to a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training. [12/21]  It looked like Cameron was at the end of the line after being designated for assignment by the Red Sox and released by the Marlins—ostensibly over a verbal altercation with a flight attendant—over a 2 ½-month period late last season. At age 38, and with two seasons of ineffective play and injury issues behind him, he appeared to be facing forced retirement, and retrospective appreciations of his largely overlooked body of work began to pop up across the internet.  As those posts pointed out, a number of factors have conspired to keep Cameron’s Q Score low. He hits for low averages and strikes out a lot, which doesn’t endear him to old-school fans. From 2000-2007, a period that contained much of his prime, Cameron played in Safeco Field, Shea Stadium, and Petco Park, three of the least favorable offensive environments in baseball. Finally, much of his value is tied up in defense, which hasn’t always garnered the proper appreciation. With a few more FRAA, Cameron could pass Gary Pettis and Jim Busby to claim one of the 10 highest fielding value figures among center fielders since 1950.- http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=15723

Danny Muno, Lucas Duda, Bobby V, Andrew Bailey, Josh Thole

11-23-11: -  http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/news/article.js p?ymd=20111110&content_id=25949502&fext=.j sp&vkey=news_milb&partnerId=rss_nym -   Shortstop -- Danny Muno, Brooklyn (59 games): Embarking on his first pro season, Muno led all Mets farmhands with at least 200 at-bats in hitting (.355) and was in Ted Williams territory with his torrid second half (.396). The New York-Penn League midseason All-Star also impressed with a 43-39 walk-to-strikeout ratio, while his .466 on-base percentage led the league. "I don't think many players had a better year than Danny Muno. He did everything," DePodesta said, adding that Muno has a chance to continue his career at shortstop.

Lucas Duda should be helped out by the Mets’ decision to move in the fences at Citi Field. While he hit his homers, like Davis, deep enough that the right-field wall might not have been a problem, his ability to hit to the opposite field will likely allow him to keep his swing intact and hit more homers. He also noted that with his limited speed, the fences moving in could help him as much defensively as offensively. http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=teamreports-2011-mlb-nym

So the only question becomes, "can he win?" Provided he's learned from his previous experiences with the Mets and is able to make adjustments to how he relates to upper management and to star players, without changing the essence of who he is and how he does things in the room, then he can absolutely win. The good thing about Bobby Valentine's reputation with veteran players is that having been out of the league for ten years, a lot of those veteran players like Cliff Floyd and Tom Glavine who made no bones about how they feel about Bobby are out of the league. So just as the current Mets gave Terry Collins a clean slate coming in and paid little to no attention to his past, the current Red Sox roster will give Valentine a clean slate as well. If Valentine's relationships with star players stay positive and don't deteriorate to the level that it did with Hundley, the Sox will be fine. That's up to both player(s) and manager to work out. Seeing that the reason Valentine's here is to clean out any real or perceived nonsense, it will be up to the players a little bit more. It'll certainly be a culture shock for these players, but if they didn't need it, Valentine wouldn't be here. http://www.metstradamusblog.com/2011-articles/november/eye-black-is-back.html

The Mets are among the at least half-dozen teams that have inquired seriously about Oakland closer Andrew Bailey, a person familiar with those talks told The Post. However, the A’s are selling high on the righty and currently do not believe the Mets have the necessary pieces to obtain Bailey, a two-time All-Star and the 2009 AL Rookie of the Year. The Reds, Rangers and Blue Jays are among the teams that are pursuing Bailey, a New Jersey native who went to college at Wagner. Oakland has made it clear it wants bats, preferably outfield bats, for Bailey, who has 75 saves and a 2.07 ERA over three seasons. In Lucas Duda, Fernando Martinez and Kirk Nieuwenhuis, the Mets have some potential fits. But Martinez’s value has decreased with his continuing inability to stay healthy. Scouts from opposing teams see Nieuwenhuis as either a complementary starter or fourth outfielder. And, for now, Duda is the Mets’ starting right fielder and probably too valuable to them to include in a trade for a closer.  http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/mets/mets_eye_bailey_qvOvEnSpPlng8QgrlN9x0I#ixzz1fHs8OdB4

Barring injury, Josh Thole is almost certainly going to catch more often than any other Met in 2012. There are few everyday catchers available as free agents and fewer available in a trade the Mets would make. It could be a good thing; in a perfect world, Thole will get better and better the more he plays. But I’m concerned that he’s already taken his athleticism as far as possible with the old school receiving techniques that the Mets organization taught him; he might improve using different mechanics, but it’s highly unlikely he’ll have the opportunity to learn them. Further, Thole may not have the typical, strong personality of a backstop. While he works hard, plays hard, can handle the physicality of the position, and isn’t afraid to get dirty, his body language and actions display him more as a “follower” rather than a leader, and he seems to lack confidence; in fact, he’s borderline meek. Catchers usually have a more “type A” personality — one who takes charge and commands respect. That’s generally not something that can be learned — you either have it, or you don’t. http://www.metstoday.com/7234/11-12-offseason/2011-evaluation-josh-thole

Cutnpaste: - Allan Dykstra, Matt Harvey, Ronnie Paulino, Danny Muno, David Wright

10-10-11: - https://mail.google.com/mail/?shva=1#inbox/132edccbf718965f - The Mets picked up Allan Dykstra in exchange for Eddie Kunz back in March, and the big guy did a nice job playing nearly everyday at first for Binghamton. Dykstra, who turned 24 in May, hit .267/.389/.474 with 19 homers, and 69 walks against 131 strikeouts in 121 games. His 69 walks were tied for fifth in the Eastern League, and he closed down his dramatic platoon split from 2010. I don’t think he’s an impact big leaguer (he whiffed in 28% of his Binghamton plate appearances) but he’s certainly better than Eddie Kunz. Kunz, by the way, ran a 4.30 ERA in 73.1 innings for the Padres’ double-A affiliate with an almost impressive 34 walks against 27 strikeouts.

10-17-11: - http://baseballinstinct.com/2011/10/17/prospect-instinct-matt-harvey-rhp-new-york-mets  - Matt Harvey has a plus curveball with a borderline plus fastball. The slider is average. His changeup should be an average or better pitch as well, so he has a four pitch mix that makes me confident to call him a future big league starter. His command has come along as well, so while he was a #2-#3 starter going into the season, the command has put him in the elite level of pitching prospects and he has a chance to be a frontline starter. His frame says that there is a workhorse 200 inning eater here as well. The only thing that can hold him back from reaching a successful #2 starter or better will be his mechanics. The changes that have been made are a step in the right direction and he’ll need to hold that upgrade going forward while maturing as a starter. We should see Harvey some time in 2012. He could start the season in Triple-A and be with the Mets by the All Star break.

Ronny Paulino’s 2011 season was more or less a “success”–depending on what you expect out of a backup catcher. He hit well–as advertised–against left-handed pitching (.289/.363/.389 line), but also posted his highest career contact rate (85.3%), and a superb 73.3% O-Contact% (contact rate for pitches outside the zone), which was 11.5% above his 2010 rate. However, Paulino’s defense was a little suspect. Among catchers with at least 200 innings, Paulino posted the eleventh worst caught-stealing percentage, throwing out just 20.3% of runners. He also had 6 pass balls, which ties him with Yadier Molina–but in 639 less innings than Cardinals’ defensive-wiz. It’s a safe assumption that the Mets will not tender Paulino a contact, and might look for a better defensive upgrade for their backup catcher in 2012 (i.e. Kelly Shoppach). Given Josh Thole‘s struggles behind the dish, it might make more sense to have a more defensive-minded backup than a pure platoon partner like Paulino. - http://risingapple.com/2011/10/17/2011-season-in-review-ronny-paulino

10-17-11: - http://metsmerizedonline.com/2011/10/mmo-top-20-mets-prospects-20-danny-muno-ss.html  - Danny Muno is a “gamer”, and does all the little things it takes to win, bunting, situational hitting, moving runners over, and playing solid defense at 2B and SS. He will more than likely open the season next year as the starting shortstop at Savannah, although a jump all the way to St. Lucie and the Florida State League is not out of the realm of possibility for a player with his advanced skills and experience. Choosing number 20 for this list was very hard. There are several deserving players that could have also sneaked into this spot. Players I have ranked just outside the Top 20 include: Cory Vaughn, Jack Leathersich, Tillman Pugh, Domingo Tapia, Tyler Pill, Logan Verrett, Albert Cordero, Taylor Whitenton, Brad Holt, Erik Goeddel and Zach Lutz. Perhaps we should have made a Top 30!

In a down year for NL third basemen, the Mets received decent contributions at the hot corner. Still, a sub-.800 OPS and poor defense from Wright was disappointing, and it will be tough to justify paying big money for that kind of production going forward. His trade value isn't all that high right now. Regardless, the front office should explore interest from other teams. It's boring to repeat but any opportunity to make a move that improves the team should be entertained. It's merely an educated guess but I doubt David Wright is traded this winter. Here's to a healthy, restful offseason for Wright and his regaining that 2005-2008 form at (renovated?) Citi Field. - http://www.amazinavenue.com/2011/10/17/2494781/2011-postmortem-third-base

Building 2012 Rosters Prospects First - Picks 96-100

96 – 2B Danny Muno – Muno has been far more than a pleasant surprise this year for Brooklyn. He led the NY-Penn Leauge with a .355 batting average while also having the top OPS in .980. He’ll move on to Savannah next spring to play second there. ETA: - TBD

photo by Allan Greene

97 – OF Greg Pron – Pron played his first season with Kingsport, hitting .318/.389/.493/.882. The 6-6 outfielder needs to add some muscle in the off-season and add to his promising 7-HRs that were produced in 2011. Broolyn bound due to heavy traffic. ETA: TBD

98 – OF Tillman Pugh – Pugh laso will wind up in Broolyn in 2012 because he’s blocked from getting any higher right now. He hit .254 for Kingsport and ended the season adding .344 for the Clones. Lots of potential here. ETA: TBD

99 – 1B Cole Frenzel – Frenzel debuted with Brooklyn and produced minimal numbers (.238) and very little pop (1-HR in 160-Abs). That isn’t going to hack it as a first baseman, but he will move on to Savannah next season and give it another shot. ETA: TBD

100 – RP Tyson Seng – Seng had a very impressive first professional season, with Brooklyn: 3-1, 0.90, 1.07, 30.0-IP, 32-K, 5-BB. He needs to get some more work in before he can be taken serious, though he will move on to Savannah come next April. ETA: TBD





Rosters So Far:


Buffalo: (20) –SP Chris Schwinden, Collin McHugh, Brandon Moore, Mark Cohoon, RP Daniel Herrera, Robert Carson, Rhiner Cruz, Eric Beaulac, Jose De La Torre, IF Kai Gronauer, Alan Dykstra, Reese Havens, Jordany Valdespin, Zach Lutz, Michael Fisher, Eric Campbell, OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Fernando Martinez, Mike Baxter, Juan Lagarus


Binghamton: (22) – SP: Mike Harvey, Zack Wheeler, Jeurys Familia, Darin Gorski, Armondo Rodriguez, RP Mike Powers, Brandon Sage, John Church, Jeff Kaplan, Nick Carr, Josh Edgin, Brad Holt, IF Juan Centeno, Fernando Pena, Stefan Welsh, Rylan Sandoval, Wilfredo Tovar, Jefry Marte, OF Matt den Dekker, Cesar Puello, Pedro Zapata, Travis Ozga


St. Lucie: (24) – SP Greg Peavey, Taylor Whitenton, Angel Cuan, Tyler Pill, Ryan Fraser, RP Brant Rustich, Hamilton Bennett, Cory Mazzoni, Jack Leathersich, Yohan Almonte, Adam Kolarek, Gonzalez Germen, Chase Huchingson, IF Albert Cordero, Blake Forsythe, Sam Honeck, Alonzo Harris, Wilmer Flores, Robbie Shields, Aderlin Rodriguez, OF Cory Vaughn, Gilbert Gomez, Darrell Cecilliani, Joe Bonfe


Savannah: (16) – SP Akeel Morris, Alex Panteliodis, Erik Goeddel, Logan Verrett, Marcos Camerena, RP Tyson Seng, Orlando Tovar, Chris Hilliard, Mike Hebert, T.J. Chism, IF Cam Maron, Cole Frenzel, Danny Muno, Brandon Brown, Richard Lucas, OF Javier Rodriguez,


Brooklyn: (7) – SP: Michael Fulmer, Juan Urbina, Domingo Tapia, IF Phillip Evans, OF: Brandon Nimmo, Greg Pron, Tillman Pugh


Kingsport: (5) – SP Luis Mateo, Christian Montgomery, Steve Matz, OF Vincente Lupo, Eudy Pena


GCL: (0) –


DSL: (1) – IF Elvis Sanchez

Cutnpaste: Benny Agbayani, Danny Muno, Willie Harris, Scott Hairston, Bobby Parnell

Benny Agbayani:


Benny Agbayani really became a fan favorite in 2000 when he had his best season in the majors; he batted .289 and had 15 HRs and 60 RBIs. He was admired for his clutch hitting that year, but I will personally remember him, and so will many other Mets fans, for the play he made on August 12th of that year. In the top of the 4th inning, the Giants had the bases loaded with one out. Bobby Estalella hit a fly ball to Benny Agbayani. Agbayani, thinking that he just caught the third out handed the ball to a young fan. After realizing that it was only two outs, he then took the ball back from the kid and threw it back into play. This was certainly not one of his best moments from an overall solid season. - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/791417-five-mets-who-you-might-or-might-not-remember-since-the-year-2000#/articles/791417-five-mets-who-you-might-or-might-not-remember-since-the-year-2000/page/6  


Danny Muno:


8-8-11: - http://www.brooklyncyclones.com/news/topstories/index.html?article_id=1204  - DANNY MUNO - Selected in the eighth round of the 2011 MLB Draft, Muno has shown Brooklyn fans what made him such a winner in college. Despite missing more than a week with a broken finger earlier in the season, Muno still ranks third in batting (.338) and leads the league in on-base percentage (.450).


Willie Harris:


Harris hasn't had a solid year and hasn't exactly been the most reliable player for the Mets either. His offensive woes continue despite putting up 12 RBI, and his defense is enough to make a case as to why he is even on the Mets anymore. His last multi-hit game, for example, was back in May which was his first since Opening Day. - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/796340-chone-figgins-and-every-other-mlb-teams-most-unreliable-player#/articles/796340-chone-figgins-and-every-other-mlb-teams-most-unreliable-player/page/3  


Scott Hairston:


Scott Hairston, a free agent following this season, is likely to be placed on waivers by the Mets before the end of this month. The Mets came close to trading him to the Atlanta Braves in July, but the deal did not end up being finalized. The Boston Red Sox also had interest in him prior to the trade deadline. Hairson is batting .264 with seven homers in 68 games. He doesn't project as either a Type-A or Type-B free agent, meaning the Mets could be motivated to negotiate a trade with any team that is awarded a claim on him to receive some compensation for him leaving rather than allow him to leave for nothing. - http://bleacherreport.com/articles/795736-mlb-trade-rumors-20-top-players-who-could-be-moved-in-august-waiver-deals#/articles/795736-mlb-trade-rumors-20-top-players-who-could-be-moved-in-august-waiver-deals/page/15  


Bobby Parnell:


But it is Parnell, he of the triple-digit mile-per-hour fastball, who appears to have the greatest upside and thus the inside track on the closer's job for next season. He won't be handed it, however, and the Mets can't do that. He has to earn the job -- or at least earn the first crack at it. But the last month hasn't helped. Fact is, Parnell has allowed 23 hits and 12 runs (11 earned) in 13 1/3 innings over his past 14 outings, pitching to a 7.42 ERA and an opponents'.354 batting average dating back to July 9. It has been location, as in pitches up over the plate. - http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/mets/parnell_audition_not_going_well_Tdm5TdkXPsG5Gknbclaa3N#ixzz1Uinn1P1e  

Jeurys Familia, Niuman Romero, Angel Cuan, Oliver Perez, Danny Muno

Jeurys Familia:


7-16-11: - Familia was placed on the DL with a “shoulder impingement”, which is a big word for tendinitis. He’s missed his last two starts and I guess the best thing is to shut him down for awhile. This could be the perfect time to transfer Darin Gorski and see how he does with AA batting.


Niuman Romero:


7-16-11: - The Mets signed Romero and assigned him to Binghamton. This speaks volumes of Reese Havens not being ready to be activated. Plays both second base and short. Played 5-years in Cleveland organization then 2010-2011 for Boston. Basically has been a .250 lifetime minor leaguer with absolutely no pop. Non-prospect fill-in.


Angel Cuan:


7-16-11: - My follower “Hobie” will be thrilled to see I’m bumping Angel up again on my “The Keepers” list. Frankly, if you go and watch him pitch, you really don’t see anything that stands out. That being said, he just wins ballgames, whether he’s a reliever or part of the rotation. Angel went 6.0 Friday night, giving up one run and raising his Sand Gnats record to 8-1, 3.28. Sort of the Latin Dillon Gee.


Oliver Perez:


2002-2010 (Mets/Pirates/Padres) - The last fifteen years have not been kind to left-handed starters named Perez. There was Carlos. There was Odalis, who went from promising to pathetic. And then there was Oliver, who for a moment seemed like the most auspicious Pirate prospect in a decade, only to forget how to throw strikes, get traded to New York for Xavier Nady, remember how to throw strikes again, sign a huge extension, forget how to throw strikes again, and finally suffer the embarrassment of being deemed too bad to play for the Mets despite being owed $12 million. In 2009 and 2010 Perez walked 100 batters and allowed 85 earned runs in 112.1 innings - http://deadspin.com/5820622/the-100-worst-baseball-players-of-all-time-a-celebration-part-2  


Danny Muno:


7-14-11: - http://www.amazinavenue.com/2011/7/11/2270752/mets-minors-road-report-binghamton-7-9-brooklyn-7-10  - I really liked the Muno pick at the time, but he’s not quite as polished as you might think for a guy with his profile. He looked a little overmatched early, getting frozen on a backdoor slider, and then watching a 93 mph fastball on the outside corner for his 2 Ks. He did draw two walks, but it’s tough to tell how much credit to give Muno, and how much to give to the quite wild Tigers pitching staff. He did a nice job in the ninth going back up the box for a single, though it was against a right-handed sidearmer. He also proceeded to get caught stealing by a good five feet, to erase himself as the tying run. Speed is not really his calling card, though it was a good throw from the Tigers catcher. Defensively, he is just not a short stop. He simply doesn’t have the arm for the position. The ball just sort of floats out of his hand with none of the zing you see from a Jose Reyes. Frankly, his arm’s not even as good as Eckstein’s. He bounced a couple throws, one dug out by Frenzel, one leading to an error, but even just watching him in infield warm-ups, you can see the arm is lacking. He’s a 2B in the end, not that we didn’t know that. The bigger issue is he might be stuck there, and he really needs to be able to play multiple positions to have a big league career, as he profiles more like a Reggie Willits type.